34,000 applicants for Best Job

The officials said tens of thousands of people from more than 200 countries have applied for ‘the best job in the world’ for an Australian island. The deadline for applications was midnight.

More than 7,500 applications over the weekend brought the number people hoping to become ‘caretaker’ of tropical Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef to 34,684, the Queensland state government said.

Most of the applications were from the US with 11,565 applicants, followed by Canada with 2,791, Britain with 2,262 and Australia with 2,064, the government said in a statement. Among the latest applicants were famed US crooner and movie star Dean Martin’s son Ricci and a Barack Obama impersonator looking for a change of job.

The candidates even had to submit a video application in English of up to one minute explaining why they are qualified for this posting.

The job pays A$150,000 for six months and including free airfares from the successful candidate’s home country to the island of white sands and clear waters.

The campaign is a key element in a drive to promote the northeastern Australian state’s 18-billion-dollar-year tourism industry during the tough global economic climate, officials say.

A shortlist of 50 applicants will be announced on March 2, the final 11 candidates will be flown to the island for interviews from May 3, and the winner will be announced on May 6.